Client-side digital video recorders (DVRs) include respective schedulers which govern the recording of media information based on respective locally-maintained schedules. With respect to an exemplary one of these DVRs, a user creates a schedule that includes one or more entries that identify media events. The entries can identify the media events based on information provided in an electronic program guide (EPG). In creating the schedule, the user can create one or more entries which identify respective singular media events to be recorded. The user can also create one or more entries which identify series-type media events to be recorded (where each series-type event potentially encompasses a series of episode events). The DVR's scheduler uses the created schedule to determine the timing at which identified media information is to be recorded.
Conventionally, the DVR may receive updated program guide information on a periodic basis, such as once a day. Newly received (i.e., current) program guide information may warrant that changes be made to a previously created schedule. For instance, the current program guide information may indicate that previously scheduled media events have been preempted (e.g., canceled), rescheduled, and so forth. Further, the current program guide information may include new episode events that need to be added to the schedule.
More precisely, in response to the receipt of new program guide information, a conventional scheduler analyzes the new program guide information to determine what changes need to be made to its schedule by performing an entry-by-entry examination of its schedule. The scheduler then makes appropriate changes to the schedule based on its analysis. Each client-side scheduler performs the above-described procedure independently of other schedulers. Thus, when new program guide information arrives, all schedulers can be expected to perform the above-described updating operations in parallel fashion.
As appreciated by the present inventors, there is an exemplary need in the art for more efficient strategies for updating schedules.